Annabeth's Idea
A Twisting Tail Chapter 3 Annabeth's Idea Annabeth woke early the next morning and yawned.Getting up early was not her thing.Anyone who suggested it was would probably get smacked.And that was before she got angry. She remember clearly the night before...the silver pool of water,the passage way out,the boat mysterious working again as if it has been refuelled...Annabeth shook her head to clear it.It had to have been a dream. Suddenly Annabeth's phone rang.She answered to an upset Hazel.“Annabeth,the docks.Hurry." “Why?" “Just come!" Annabeth threw on a plaid button up shirt and some jeans,grabbed her backpack,and ran out the door. She reached the dog,gasping for breath.“What...was so...important?" Piper was pacing back and forth on the dock.Hazel looked panicked.“You haven't got wet this morning at all,right?" To Annabeth that seemed like a dumb question,but Hazel looked thoroughly upset,so Annabeth answered.“No." “We're going back to Olym."She said. Annabeth's jaw dropped.“Why?" Piper stopped her pacing.She looked as distraught as Hazel.“We have to,because Hazel and I-" “Hey,if it isn't the girls who stole my boat?"Annabeth clenched her fists as she turned around.Jason Grace stood behind her with another boy behind him that Annabeth didn't know. “We didn't steal it,Grace."She said defiently. The boy behind him smirked.His hair was jet black and his eyes deep,sea-green.“Then how come it has his name on it?" Annabeth inspected the boat,which was docked near where Hazel was standing.“It doesn't."She said,smiling.She had won. Jason glared.“It's on the other side,stupid." Annabeth walked around to see the other side of the speedboat,and sure enough,JASON was painted in neat letters. Hazel laughed.“That doesn't change that you gave me the boat,Jason." “I didn't think you'd actually get it to work!"Jason protested,as if that somehow gave him back his boat. The sea-green eyed boy snorted.“Yeah,it's only yours if it doesn't work.Give Jason the boat." “Percy,you're an idiot."Piper muttered.“Jason doesn't own everything he says he does."Percy,the sea-green eyed boy,glared at Piper.“Hazel owns the boat.He told her so.It belongs to us." Jason rolled his eyes.“Let them have the stupid boat."He growled.“I can get a new one anyway." Annabeth sighed.“Jason Grace is a pig." “Honestly,"Piper agreed. Hazel laughed.“I truly wonder why Percy follows him like he's a king or something.Jason,a king?Most likely that country would fall after the first day." “First hour."Annabeth said. Hazel sighed.She rolled her eyes.“Anyway,get in the boat." Annabeth shrugged and hopped in.Again she would drive,so she climbed in first,before Hazel and Piper.As she drove,they urged her to slow down to a crawl,kicking up hardly any spray at all.Annabeth found this strange but did as they said. Just off the coast of Olym Island,Piper stood in the little boat. “Watch,"she said.She looked confused,but she acted as if she knew exactly what would happen.She stepped out of the boat and stood in the waist-deep water.She seemed to shimmer - that must have been Annabeth's eyes playing tricks on her - and then... Piper fell backwards into the water.At some point while Annabeth's vision was confused,she must have changed into a costume.A mermaid costume.Annabeth admitted it was very impressive,but by no means real...it couldn't be. The tail was bright orange with slick,clear scales.Piper's shirt was soaked,obviously,after falling in the water.Hazel turned to Annabeth.“So?You're the nerd.What do we do?" “If this is some kind of joke,it isn't funny."Annabeth said,standing.“Help me push the boat ashore,or I'll turn around and leave-"She stepped out of the boat.Hazel reached forward to pull her back just as Annabeth's foot hit the water.A cold feeling settled on her spine.She couldn't move.Counting the second. 8...9...10... “Wha-"She yelled as she fell backwards. 11...12...13... Annabeth hit the water hard.She came to the surface,gasping.Piper had dove under and surfaced next to her.Annabeth looked behind her in horror to find a long,orange tail,ending in a long,flat fluke. Her mind spun.This couldn't be happening.It couldn't.Hazel was still aboard the boat.She was trying not to laugh,despite the situation.“Well,genius,what now?" “I'm a fish."Annabeth announced,deadpan serious. Hazel nodded.“Yeah,and what do we do about that?" Piper dragged herself up onto the beach,rolling out of the water.She pulled herself just out of reach of the waves.“The...the cave.With the pool.Something happened to us there.What if-" “-there's an answer!"Annabeth finished,following Piper's lead and slowly making her way out of the water. Hazel looked slightly uncomfortable.The boat was too far for her to jump across onto the beach and no doubt she didn't want to swim. “Come on,Hazel!"Piper said.“Hurry up already!" Suddenly Hazel seemed to have one of those lightbulb moments.She grabbed the oars and began using them as poles to push the boat forward.Unfortunately she didn't get very far. Annabeth sighed and was about to turn back to go push the boat up to the beach when Piper shimmered.Her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.This was all real.But it couldn't be!It was impossible!Piper's shirt was completely dry,even her shoes hadn't been touched by the water.She stood and waited patiently for Hazel to make up her mind - swim or spend all day with the oars. Annabeth rested her head on her hands.Time to wait. Finally Hazel decided to just jump in and swim.She pushed the boat as far as she could,then Piper leaned over to help pull it onto the beach. A cold chill swept over Annabeth,and for a moment everything was blurred.Her hair was dry,and her clothes,and she wasn't a fish anymore...but Annabeth knew that just a splash could probably change that. She went to help Piper pull the boat out of the water.As Hazel climbed out of the water,Annabeth was annoyed.She looked up.Just by the sun's position,at least two hours had passed since they confronted Jason Grace.And they had to wait for Hazel to dry off. Finally.It had seemed like forever.Hazel stood,brushed brushed sand off her shorts and followed Annabeth and Piper into the jungle. Piper took the lead,heading toward the place she had fallen into the cavern.Annabeth didn't like this...not at all.Everything was falling apart.Still she followed Piper and Hazel. “Here."Piper said.She knelt in the fog next to a huge pit,then hopped into it.Annabeth and Hazel shrugged and jumped down after her. The walls were as glittering as Annabeth remembered.It was kind of scary.She took off to the silver pool in the silver section of the cavern. As the walls shimmered bright silver,Annabeth ran faster.She heard footsteps behind her. “Annabeth!"Hazel yelled,“Why...are...you running?" Annabeth didn't answer.She stopped jist at the edge of the pool.“I have an idea!"She yelled back. “What is it?"Piper was breathing hard. Annabeth said nothing.She jumped into the water. Hazel sat at the edge of the silver pool,being careful not to let herself get splashed.“Okay,you jumped into water.That helps us how?" “This happened because of this pool,right?"Piper and Hazel nodded.“So being in the water might take it away." Annabeth rested her hands on the smooth stone on the edge of the pool.She looked behind her at the long,bright orange tail. “It isn't working,"she sighed. Piper spoke up.“We were all in the water at the same time,so maybe..."She looked at Hazel. Hazel sighed and jumped into the water with Piper. After several long moments,Annabeth shook her head sadly.“Fish.We are fish." “And it looks as if we're gonna stay that way,"Hazel said in disappointment. End of Chapter 3 Category:Gigglesplash The Ranger's Apprentice Category:A Twisting Tail Category:Chapter Page Category:A Twisting Tail Chapters